Do Cold Drinks Help Reduce Swelling Following Oral Surgery?

Posted on 1/10/2018 by Jeffery Gerhardt

After you have had oral surgery, you will experience some discomfort and swelling. The amount of each that you experience will be dictated by a few things such as the exact type of procedure you had, your own body's healing rate, and so on, but most people will experience discomfort and swelling to some degree.

Drinking cold drinks after oral surgery can help, but you need to be aware of how you consume them. Here are some things to consider if you are planning your post-surgery routine.

Cold-of Any Sort-Helps Reduce Swelling

A cold drink will definitely help to keep the swelling down. Keep in mind that swelling involves the blood vessels dilating and more blood rushing to the area. Cold temperatures will have the opposite effect: they will constrict the blood vessels and reduce swelling in the area.

Of course, you want to be aware of what you are drinking. Some drinks-such as alcoholic beverages-can cause issues with your ability to heal properly and quickly. Other drinks-such as juice-may contain things that cause the wound site to sting. It's probably best to stick with water.

Avoid Straws

Another thing to remember is that you have sutures in your mouth, and thus you must be very careful about what you do. When drinking a cold drink, you will want to avoid using a straw. This is because the suction involved in using a straw can, under some circumstances, cause your sutures to pull loose. At the very least, using a straw could cause you to bleed unnecessarily.

Keeping these precautions in mind, you should definitely feel free to include cold drinks in your plans for your immediate post-surgery days. They will help reduce the swelling, make the discomfort more manageable, and will have the added bonus of keeping you hydrated.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (512) 643-6060 today.